Every Moment
by StrawberryBananas
Summary: Tenten's life changes drastically when a secret that she promises to keep blows up in her face and she and Neji have a huge fight just before he leaves on a seven month mission. She waits for his return, but she's in for another surprise when he arrives.
1. Chapter 1

"Dear Kami, are you sure?" I asked Hinata through the bathroom door.

There was a sniffle. "Yes," she sobbed out, and I felt my moth turn dry and my tongue grow sticky.

The door slowly opened, and I slipped in quickly. My stomach dropped at the sight of my friend in such a distressed state. Her dark hair was in complete disarray, and her pale lavender eyes were red and puffy from so much crying.

She plopped down on the toilet, and I knelt before her. The pregnancy test dangled from her shaking fingers, and I took it from her gently. It was indeed positive.

"This..this could be defective, you know," I said, doing my best to reassure her and myself at the same time.

"No, Tenten," she said softly. "This is the second one to be positive. I'm pregnant. Kami, I'm pregnant, and I'm only eighteen." Her shoulders began to shake once more, and she hid her face in her hands.

I shook my head, not that she could see or anything, unwilling to accept that answer. "First off," I began. "You'll be nineteen in five months. Second, this stupid piece of plastic isn't going to decide whether or not you've got a kid growing inside you. We're going to make an appointment with Sakura to be completely sure."

I tossed the pregnancy test into the trash can along with the other one and grabbed Hinata's hands. She looked at me sadly, and I felt my throat close painfully.

"What do I do now, Tenten?" she asked in a hoarse voice. "My father will be furious if he finds. I don't know how Naruto will react, and Neji-" She stopped and looked at me fearfully for a second. "You can't tell Neji. He'll kill Naruto. Please, promise me you won't tell him, Ten."

I remained silent for a moment, uncomfortable with keeping such a big secret from my boyfriend. But when I looked at Hinata's face and saw the desperation and stress burning in her eyes, I knew I had to do whatever possible to help my friend.

"I promise."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hinata left only a few minutes before Neji arrived back to our apartment. I'd spent hours trying to console her, while she paced my room frantically. She didn't even live with Naruto yet, instead remaining in the Hyuuga household. Naruto lived on his own, and I'd had a growing feeling for the past few months that he'd be asking her to move in with him soon. But were they really ready for a child?

He was a well respected shinobi here in Konoha, strong and dependable, but I didn't have the slightest clue on how he'd react to being told that he would be a father. He loved her, that much I was sure of. The two of them shared a strong bond, just as strong as Sakura and Sasuke did, and I prayed that the test had defected and would spare Hinata the wrath of her father and Neji.

"Hey," I said when Neji entered the living room. My heart was pounding a bit too harshly in my chest, and I hoped I didn't look suspicious or anything.

He looked tired from the hours of training he'd just done but still managed to remain just as gorgeous. Still, I was worried. Usually, he didn't get at all tired when we trained together.

"Missed you at training today," he stated, slipping off his shoes and striding over to the couch where I sat. He sprawled his lean and well toned body across the cushions and rested his head in my lap.

I slid my fingers through his dark brown strands, loving the barely noticeable shudder that ran through his body. But I noticed everything that he did.

"Sorry," I said. "I got caught up talking with Hinata, you know, girl stuff." _Well, at least that wasn't a complete lie._

"You left me alone with Lee," he said with his eyes closed, and I felt the guilt stab at me. Not telling him something as important as Hinata's possible pregnancy was hard for me.

"Sorry," I apologized once more. "I hope I can make it up to you later."

I leaned forward, letting my lips hover above his for a second as his opaque eyes opened slowly. My breath caught for a second. He had that effect on me.

I leaned down further, finally capturing his lips with my own. His tongue immediately slid across my lips, and I parted them for him without hesitation. When his tongue tangled with mine, I temporarily forgot about Hinata and relished in the pleasant tingles that ran down my spine.

He pulled back suddenly to gaze into my eyes with an intense stare that made me shift uncomfortably. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"No," I said, hoping my voice was steady. "I'm fine."

He seemed to buy it and dropped the subject, but I noticed the small frown that creased his brow. "What?" I asked.

"I'm going on another mission," he said, and I sighed.

What was with Tsunade lately? She'd been sending Neji on so many missions, that I almost had to be penciled into his schedule.

"That's not it," I stated when the frown didn't disappear.

"No," he said simply, and I waited. "It's going to be for seven months."

My hand stopped stroking his hair. "Seven months," I repeated in a distraught tone.

That was his longest mission yet. I'd expected that he would be gone a lot as an ANBU captain, but that was just ridiculous.

"When do you leave?"I asked, already feeling teary eyed.

"Two days," he answered quietly, and I bit my lip to keep from crying.

What kind of kunoichi cried over stuff like this? Me, obviously, but I couldn't give a damn at the moment.

Neji raised his head out of my lap and kissed me long and hard, as if to apologize for something that wasn't his fault. "How about we go out to dinner tonight," he proposed, and I sniffled and nodded with a small smile.

He returned the smile and kissed my temple before standing. "Just let me shower first."

I watched him retreat into the bathroom and sunk into the couch. Now it would be a hell of a lot easier to keep that secret from him. Oh, karma was a bitch.

This was all truly unfair. This day was definitely not one of the best in my life, and when Neji came out of the bathroom holding a pregnancy test, I knew it was about to get alot worse.

**A/N: Tenten and Neji! I can't get enough of them. Haha. So coming up is more tears, a total misapprehension, and a secret that's only a few hours old blows up in Tenten's face. Damn. Lol. But it'll get better….or will it? Hmmm…..**


	2. Chapter 2

I felt my stomach do this weird drop when he came out of the bathroom. The look on his face was hard and stony, and I tried to wet my dry lips but could produce no saliva. He turned it over in his hands, and I mentally screamed at myself. Why did I throw them away in the bathroom!?

"What the hell is this?" he asked icily. It was a rhetorical question. He knew exactly what it was.

What was I supposed to say? My mind raced, struggling to come up with a logical explanation. I could tell him right now and hope he would understand, but I knew Neji, and there was no way in hell he would just accept this. He would really go after Naruto. He would be beyond furious, and there would be nothing that could stop him, not even me. Hinata was someone you didn't mess with unless you wanted Neji to kill you.

"I don't know," I responded in a barely audible voice. I don't know! That was the best I could do!

His jaw clenched visibly, and my heart began to beat savagely at my chest.

"It's positive. They both are." His tone was so harsh and cold, that I cringed slightly and said nothing. "And I know it's not because of me."

Of course he would know. The last time we had sex was about six months ago, having been so busy lately. And if I had gotten pregnant it would be pretty obvious by now.

My breathing was hard and sharp now. I could hear it, and I knew he could too. He would think it a sign of guilt and regret. Regret about being caught.

When I didn't respond, he spoke up again. "So this is what you've been doing while I was gone, fucking someone behind my back!"

My mouth dropped open at the accusation and the sudden shout. He was livid now, clenching and unclenching his fists. Tears sprung into my eyes, and I struggled to regain my voice.

"N..no. No, that's not it. I would never do that," I stammered, and he cut me off.

"Then whose is it, Tenten? Whose?"

Tears bubbled over my eyes and spilt down my cheeks, making me seem all the more guilty. "I don't know. I don't know," I sobbed, suddenly overwhelmed by the situation.

His eyes flashed dangerously, the anger in them burning so fiercely it almost hurt to look at them.

"Of all the things you could do to me, Tenten," he said, and I could actually see the hurt and pain flash across his face for a second. "I never thought you'd be whoring around with someone else."

"No Neji!" I cried, moving towards him and reaching out to him. He moved away. "Neji, I would never do this to you! You know I wouldn't!" My voice sounded so pathetically desperate and pleading even to my own ears, and I could barely talk through my tears.

My heart did a savage twist in my chest when he made his way to the door. "Neji! Please!"

The door slammed loudly, and I gasped. _Run after him you idiot!_ But I couldn't. My legs had grown completely immobile, and I stared at the door with my mouth still hanging open. I was torn between loyalty to my best friend, and my love for Neji. Realizing what I had just chosen, I began to panic.

It was just a fight. He would come back, and we'd work it out. I needed to talk to Hinata.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Tenten, why didn't you just tell him!" Hinata cried, her voice shrilly.

"I promised, Hinata," I responded thickly. "I know that he would have gone after Naruto if I had told him. He would have been so angry, I know it."

Hinata was sitting beside me on her own bed, now trying to console me. I'd arrived at her house in hysterics, and when Hanabi answered the door she'd immediately ushered me in and began to call for her older sister.

It was Hinata's face that I remember best. She'd began to walk down the stairs, her face already solemn and dark. When she caught sight of me, so many emotions had passed along her face: fear, confusion, worry, dread. It finally settled on worry, and she'd flown down the rest of the stairs to my side.

"Tenten, I can't let you do this," she said softly. "Neji leaves in two days, and I won't let it be under these terms."

She pulled me up from the soft bed, and began to drag me out of the house. It was already sunset. I hadn't realized I'd been at her house for that long.

The whole way over to my apartment, I was in a daze, letting myself be led along. A part of me had actually expected him to not be there and all his stuff to be gone, but when we arrived and it actually was, I couldn't hold back the surprise.

Hinata gazed around the apartment with tear filled eyes. "Wait for me," she whispered before darting out and leaving me to gaze forlornly at the blue carpet.

The silence made my ears buzz, and I raised my eyes to gaze at the picture of Team Gai that I kept on the coffee table. Lee and Gai were doing their good guy pose, while I grinned widely beside an unsmiling Neji.

I wore those buns occasionally, but I'd since grown out of them. My cheeks were a little too chubby for my liking back then, but Neji still looked absolutely perfect. Unblemished skin, lean body, and a perfectly sculptured face.

I continued to gaze at that picture until Hinata returned, panting and now freely crying. "I went to Tsunade," she panted. "He left for his mission early."

My knees gave out, and I fell to the floor loudly, struggling to breathe.

**A/N: So, I just realized that whos is actually spelled whose when you're asking for ownership. Yeah, I know I'm dumb. Lol. Anyway, I went back and changed a few that I saw, but I got tired of looking for 'em so sorry if it bothers you in this chapter or later ones. Chances are, I'll probably forget about the correct way to spell it. Haha. So yeah, that totally sucks for Tenten. And Neji was a jerk, but honestly, how else would someone react to that? Later!**


	3. Chapter 3

So did I cry after Neji left? Yeah, I did, probably more than I ever had in my life. I wasn't the type of girl to cry over every little thing, but this wasn't a little thing.

The first four days after he left, I spent the whole day crying, loud heaving sobs. The next day, they quieted down a bit, and by day six I had actually grown sick of crying. Hinata still needed my help with her situation, and I wasn't about to back out on her.

And that was how we found ourselves in the hospital a week later, staring at Sakura with dumbfounded expressions. Well, I was the one who was making the stupid face. Hinata looked surprisingly calm.

I swallowed. "So how far along is she?" I asked softly, while Hinata looked down at her hands.

Sakura also seemed surprised by the information she was giving us and hesitated before she answered. "Not too far along. About two weeks."

Hinata nodded, and Sakura let out a large breath. "So are you going to keep it? It's entirely you decision whether you want this child or not."

Hinata's head snapped up at the mention of an abortion, obviously surprised by that alternative. At first, she looked so small and unsure, but then she raised her eyes to mine from where I leant against the wall, and I saw this weird spark of courage and determination in them.

"I can't kill a baby," she spoke softly. "Even if I am too young, I still couldn't do it."

Sakura and I exchanged glances. "Okay," I said stepping forward. "If that's your decision, then I'll be here to back you up."

Hinata's eyes grew wide and hopeful, and Sakura nodded her head vigorously. "We'll definitely do whatever we can to help you through this." Hinata suddenly started bawling, and Sakura and I jumped to her side immediately.

"I'm so sorry, guys," she blubbered while I rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm just so emotional right now."

We remained silent for a moment, and I was suddenly overcome with how humorous that sounded. My laughter must have startled them because they stared at me incredulously before joining in.

And for that moment we didn't have any problems. For a moment, I wasn't a broken hearted girl who had just gotten harshly dumped by the love of her life. For a moment, Hinata didn't have to dread the hardships that lie ahead, and Sakura and I didn't have to keep her fertile state a secret. For a moment, we were just a group of friends having fun like friends are supposed to.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hinata decided with some reluctance to tell Ino of the pregnancy. I mean, who could blame her? That blond had an obnoxiously loud mouth.

She took it surprisingly well, noting the seriousness of our faces. I'd expected her to start braying at the top of her lungs about how she was going to be an aunt or something. I must admit, that would have been quite humorous were it to happen.

"It's Naruto's right?" Ino asked softly, and Hinata sighed in aggravation.

"Why does everybody keep asking me that?" she snapped. "Of course it's Naruto's. I wouldn't even think of cheating on him."

That last statement struck a painful chord in me, and I swallowed deeply. Regret flashed across Hinata's face, and I nodded to show that it was nothing.

Ino looked quite surprised. This was probably the first time Hinata had ever snapped at anybody. She was usually so soft spoken and shy. It must be the stress or the hormones or something.

"Sorry," she said softly to Ino, and I felt Sakura squeeze my shoulder gently, her face sympathetic.

I relaxed slightly and smiled faintly at her. She always had a knack for making me feel better.

"Have you told him yet?" Ino continued on.

Hinata sighed and leaned back against the counter of the Yamanaka flower shop. "No," she replied faintly, twiddling her fingers like she used to when we attended the academy. "I really don't know what he'll say. We're so young, and he's got so many dreams. Maybe it's best I don't tell him."

There was a moment of shocked silence, before the rest of us broke out in disagreements.

"I know Naruto will want to help, Hinata. I've been his friend since we were put on Team 7. He would never abandon you like that."

"He loves you, and he'll love that baby the same."

"Yeah, the blond idiot may not know much, but he's dependable."

Sakura and I shot a glare toward Ino, who simply shrugged. Hinata sighed shakily once more.

"I know, but I don't want to feel obligated to help me," she said. "I want him to want this baby. I want him to want to be around me when I go through all this."

Now, we all exchanged knowing glances, finally understanding why she felt so torn on the subject and so beat down. Because what she wanted, he may not be willing to give.

"He'll find out sooner or later," Sakura said softly. "It will be pretty obvious when you walk around town with a baby bump. And I doubt you'll want him to think it's someone else's."

Once again, there was another sting in my own heart.

"You're right," she said in defeat. "But I'll tell him when I'm ready."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I couldn't sleep, my thoughts trained on a man probably hundreds of miles away by now.

We'd finally acknowledged our feelings for eachother two years ago when we were seventeen. Our relationship had certainly brought out a side of Neji that I found even more attractive than his usual stoic one.

The things he said to me, or rather, what he used to say to me, were sexy and husky, and I often felt my knees grow weak at just his voice. He was more caring than he let on and quite possessive in public. I remember he'd actually broken a guy's nose when he let his hand brush against my butt.

I didn't scold him for it. That very same guy had been giving me these weird looks that night, letting his eyes rake over my body. Neji noticed my discomfort and pulled me closer than usual as we sat in the restaurant. He always made me feel safe, even if I was a ninja and could hold my own if the time called for it.

I sighed wistfully. I would wait for him. Hinata will be showing by the time he returned, and the secret would be out. It would all be good soon. There was no doubt about it.

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter was kinda bland or whatever, but I wanted to put in the friendship the four girls share, and, of course, Tenten's reaction to Neji leaving and if Hinata was really pregnant or not. Hinata, who woulda thought she'd be the one to get pregnant. Lol. But her background and innocence fit better with the story in my opinion. Well, I'm out.**


	4. Chapter 4

I'd really begun to wish that Hinata would tell Naruto already. Her damn hormones and ridiculous cravings were driving me insane, and she was only four months in. She stayed over at my apartment last night. I had suggested it, seeing that she spent most of her time there.

Then, at four in the morning, she woke me up and asked me to go out and get her some chocolate ice cream with marshmallows. Four in the morning! I'd been more than ready to refuse, but the pleading look in her eye had me in two seconds flat.

So I went and had a difficult time trying to find a place open at this hour. The snow had been falling thickly that night, and I suddenly felt so alone trudging through the white mush. I nearly started bawling when I finally found I store that was open.

And when I got home, she was asleep.

She had been crying, the tear stains on her cheeks evident. I figured she probably didn't even want the ice cream, just a little time to herself where she could cry out all the frustration and stress she was going through.

The rush of emotion hit me in the kitchen, and I leaned heavily against the table and let those fat tears roll down my face and splash onto the floor.

If Neji had been here, he would have gathered me in his arms and held me tightly. He would have spoken sweet nothings into my ear, things that made no sense but held so much meaning. And I would have fallen asleep in that spot, his strong arms wrapped around me a cage that could not be broken.

But Neji wasn't here, and instead of feeling safe and loved in a warm embrace, I felt cold and unwanted in the dark kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sunlight was bright and made my eyes hurt when I opened them the next morning. Hinata was already awake and sitting with a mug of hot tea, sipping it quietly and staring at the wall with her eyes sparkling.

She looked so…happy, which was quite a change from last night. It was probably another one of her mood swings.

But when I rested my chin in my hands to observe her more closely, I noticed that this happiness seemed to radiate off her. There was the slightest hint of a smile on her face, but it made her whole face light up.

"What's up with you?" I finally asked, and she turned surprised eyes on me. Wow, she was so out of it, her ninja sense didn't even kick in when I moved.

She hesitated before turning to me with a wider and even brighter smile on her face. "I was just thinking," she said softly. "About having to tell Naruto and my dad about this and their reactions when I felt the baby kick."

This piece of news made my eyebrows shoot up and a smile much like Hinata's adorn my face. I had no idea why. It just made my heart squeeze, and the smile just came on its own.

"I felt the same way," she continued. "It's just so wonderful." There were now tears In her eyes, but the smile only widened. "There's a life growing inside me, a baby that will grow to be strong and beautiful. And no matter what Naruto and my father say, this baby is mine, and I'm going to take care of her and love her with my life."

My throat closed painfully at the happiness my friend was feeling and the complete wonder of a baby. "You said she," I said, my voice unsteady. "How do you know?"

Hinata smiled and looked down at her stomach tenderly. "I just do, and now it's time for Naruto to know."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked as Hinata and I stood outside Naruto's apartment. The hallway we stood in was warm, and I was slightly surprised that Uzumaki actually chose a decent place to live.

Hinata stared at the door and noticeably gulped. She had been nervous on the way over here, but now she straightened and determination flashed through her eyes. I was proud of her.

"I'm ready," she said softly and lifted a shaky hand to knock on the door.

"Hold on a sec," Naruto called through the door. There was some shuffling, and the door swung open to reveal the Kyuubi vessel himself. "Hey Hinata, Tenten," he greeted with a grin, swooping down to kiss Hinata on the cheek.

Hinata was silent for a moment. "N..Naruto there's something I need to tell you," she said softly, and Naruto's smile began to fade.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" he asked, worry beginning to seep into his eyes.

I nudged Hinata when she didn't respond, and she inhaled deeply. "Can I talk to you inside?"

Naruto opened the door wider, and I could see the ramen cups scattered all over the floor. Did this guy eat anything else? Hinata stepped in, but I remained outside. Then, the door shut. It didn't close all the way, and I could hear pretty clearly what they said.

"Hinata, what's the matter?" Naruto asked once more, and I heard Hinata sniffle.

"I'm pregnant," she said so softly I almost couldn't hear her. I pressed my ear up against the door, my heart pounding.

A long silence followed, and I bit my lip in anticipation. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"How long have you known?" he finally asked just as softly.

Hinata let out a quiet sob. "Four months."

"And you didn't tell me?" There was a slightly angry edge to the question.

Hinata let out more sobs, and I felt my own breathing quicken. "I was afraid of what you'd say. I know you don't want a child right now when you've got everything going for you and since we're so young" She was crying harder now. "But I couldn't bring myself to get rid of her. And I understand if you want to go on with everything without a child, but I plan to do the best I can to raise her and-"

"You think I'm that shallow?" Naruto said gently. "To just turn my back on you when I should be helping you and the baby?"

Damn, this was exactly what Hinata didn't want, for him to feel like it was a responsibility.

"Of course I'd never planned on having a kid this early in my life, but that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon it. No matter what age, I'd love it the same. I'd planned for the mother to be you when the time came, and now I won't have to worry about it anymore."

I inhaled sharply at his words. Way to go, Naruto.

Curious by the silence, I peered through the small opening in the door. Naruto had Hinata pressed tightly against his chest, her crying softly and he smiling. It was so beautiful, so perfect, that my throat constricted.

Sliding down the wall by the door, I let myself wallow in my solitude for a moment. I'd always wanted to be the mother of Neji's children someday. I wanted to be by his side forever, trapped in his embrace even after I died. Maybe one day I would be. For now, I had to be patient.

**A/N: Naruto and Hinata are seriously one of the cutest couples. (Sigh). Anyway, I hate that Tenten's alone right now, even though I'm the one writing the damn story. Lol. There is no Tenten without Neji. It's like peanut butter and jelly. They just go. Haha. **


	5. Chapter 5

It was no surprise to me when Naruto asked Hinata to move in with him. But it was a surprise, however, when they decided to do it at the end of the week, which also meant telling Hiashi of the pregnancy.

When it came to him, I had no idea how he'd react. Hiashi was a very complex individual.

So that's how we ended up standing here in the living room of the Hyuuga household with the almighty leader himself, awaiting his reaction. Hinata was breathing oddly loudly, and I was pretty sure I was too. This was so nerve wracking, I almost regretted saying yes to Hinata when she asked me to accompany her and Naruto when they told her father.

It was just the four of us in one room that was starting to seem a bit too small for my liking. As soon as I entered the house, a sense of longing and heartache hit me.

Neji had first kissed me in this house, right in front of the door of his bedroom before I was about to leave. I'd come to see Hinata about something but decided to talk to Neji for a few minutes.

I lounged across his bed while he sharpened his kunai and, surprisingly, kept up a steady conversation with me. His bed had smelled nice, woodsy and masculine. When he looked away at one point, I'd actually sniffed his pillow.

Then, when I announced that I should be going, I walked to the door when he told me to wait. I'd turned ever so slowly and found myself nose to nose with the Hyuuga prodigy. I must have blushed ten different shades of red because he had smirked before he leaned in the rest of the way.

The kiss I will never forget, explosive and mind blowing. His fingers were in my hair, and I was so surprised that all I could do were lay my hands on his shoulders. I'd actually squeaked when he shoved his tongue into my mouth.

We'd been so caught up making out, that we didn't even notice the door open. Hiashi had to clear his throat to get our attention. He was smirking slightly, and the rush of embarrassment I'd felt at that moment was like no other I'd felt before.

Hinata had been standing at her door behind him, smiling widely and giggling. I apologized to Hiashi, who actually thought it to be quite humorous and actually walked away chuckling. Before I left, Neji had kissed me again, just as long as the first time.

My eyes began to water at the memory, and I returned my focus to the issue at hand. Hiashi's face was relatively expressionless, but his jaw was strained and his eyes smoldering slightly.

"You're the father, I assume," he finally said, and Naruto nodded. He seemed to be the only one of us with any confidence.

This really wasn't the reaction I'd been expecting. Maybe a few insults and curses, possibly even a punch or two, anything but this calm and controlled one.

"How the hell did this happen?" Hiashi asked icily, causing Hinata and I to flinch. Ah, now there was the reaction I'd been expecting. "You're only eighteen, Hinata, far too young for a child. You can barely take care of yourself. How do you expect to care for another! This is outrageous, absolutely ridiculous!"

Hinata's eyes filled with tears at her father's words, and Naruto stepped forward angrily. "Hinata is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, and she'll have no problem with this baby!"

Both men were glaring at eachother angrily, and I felt panic beginning to seep into my mind. This could turn ugly fast.

"You have no room to talk, Boy," Hiashi spat. "You grew up without parents, so how would you know how to care for this child? I will not have my daughter slaving away in a home with a bastard child and a village outcast!"

Everything went silent for a moment, and I stared at Hiashi in shock. Hinata gazed at her father with a horrified and astonished expression on her face, and Naruto's nostrils flared dangerously. Before any physical harm could be done, I stepped forward.

"Sir, please," I said in the strongest voice I could muster. "Hinata and Naruto will be good parents-"

"And what would you know about this?" he snapped, and I had the urge to slink away but stood my ground. He stood about a foot taller than me, his eyes ablaze and his anger so electrifying that his hair seemed to stand on end. "You don't know a damn thing about being a good parent. You can't even hold onto a man long enough to have a successful relationship."

That comment stung sharply, and I inhaled quickly. I respected Hiashi, but, damn, he was such and asshole. I heard Hinata and Naruto gasp too, but continued on the best I could.

"However true that may be, we're not here to talk about my inability to have a good relationship," I said shakily. It wasn't true. It was just a misunderstanding. "The fact is that you're daughter is pregnant, and no words you say will change that. She's already decided that she will have this baby, and Naruto will be there right beside her. Your opinion doesn't matter. She's moving out and starting a family regardless of what you say. She came here for your support, not your consent."

No one spoke, and Hiashi eyed the couple behind me. I could see the walls of the normally strict and cold Hyuuga beginning to falter. He was torn between what he thought was proper and the chance to be part of his grandchild's life.

"Then," he said slowly, and I held my breath. "I'll have to give her my support."

I felt like crying, but Hinata did it for me. She let out a sob and flung herself into her father's arms. The man held her tightly, as if she would disappear if he didn't. I finally got it. He was afraid to let her go, afraid that she would leave and never return to him as that little girl he always knew her to be.

I watched the affectionate moment between daughter and father while blinking away tears. Who knew Hiashi could be so emotional.

I felt a hand fall on my shoulder, and I turned to see Naruto's grateful eyes. I returned his smile weakly and stepped aside when Hiashi motioned for Naruto, no doubt to lecture him about his daughter.

The three were so wrapped up in the happy moment, that I felt odd to be standing there witnessing it all on the sidelines. So I slowly made my way to the door and let them be.

I managed to make it to the bathroom back home before I started crying. Hiashi's words stung so hard, I could still feel the burn, and it hurt so bad. Three months, I reminded myself. In three more months, I'd be happy again.

**A/N: So far, this has been my favorite chapter to write. I freaking love to write about the emotions and stuff. Haha. I've been kinda emotional this week and actually almost started to cry on this one. I don't even know if it's that sad but whatever. See ya!**


	6. Chapter 6

I'd been sent out on a short two day mission the day after the whole Hiashi fiasco. I was glad. Not only would I be able to miss the emotional thank you from Hinata and Naruto, but it would be a good thing for me to get out of Konoha for a short while.

Sakura and Ino, unfortunately, had come over to my apartment only a few minutes after I got there to find me sobbing my damn heart out for the hundredth time this week. So I had to blubber out the whole story to them while they rubbed my back soothingly or held me closely.

They'd also brought some good news with them. After I quieted down, Ino announced that she and Shikamaru had gone on their first date last night. Sakura had hounded her for telling her earlier, but Ino simply said that she'd wanted to save the announcement for the correct time. That had been the perfect time because I felt a little less awful after she said that.

When I asked her if she'd allowed Shikamaru to kiss her, she replied that she had allowed him to do a lot more than that, which sent us all into giggles.

Then, I threatened that she had better not gotten pregnant too or I'd never be free of the mood swings. She said she was sure she hadn't, and I didn't ask for details.

There were a few surprises- which were also reliefs- when I returned home. One was Hinata had already been settled into Naruto's apartment, and two was that the whole village knew about the pregnancy.

Some thought it adorable, and some were being all bitchy about the situation, starting nasty rumors or stating that she was too young. But Hinata and Naruto remained immune to the gossip. Those two were so in love for the next few months, that I swear they had sex with their eyes.

It was funny, however, when Kiba confronted Naruto and ordered him to take good care of Hinata or he'd castrate him. Naruto's response was that he would protect her with his life.

It surprised everyone witnessing the event because it wasn't natural to see Naruto acting so mature about something or not pick a fight with Kiba. Things were changing, and I was there to witness it all.

Hinata's stomach had grown larger, to the point where she was actually waddling around. I once spotted Hiashi eyeing Naruto as he rubbed Hinata's belly and whispered to it.

There was a soft smile on his lips as he gazed at his daughter fondly, and I nearly fell on my face when I saw it. It was an extremely rare thing for Hiashi, and I felt glad to have seen it.

He hadn't apologized for what he said to me, but I knew he was sorry. He displayed it in his weird Hiashi ways: being more polite to me than usual, striking up small conversation, and even chuckling at a comment I made.

Everyone seemed to be in a happy go lucky attitude. Sasuke even seemed to crack one of his killer smiles more often, probably because Sakura had threatened that if he didn't start acting more social she'd ban sex until he did. But I secretly think he did it for Sakura's sake, because he liked to see her happy.

And while the joy and merriment seemed to dance all around me, it never seemed to stick on me. It was like I was a not so sticky piece of tape. Every once in a while, that happiness would linger over my head and then evaporate that night.

I tried so desperately to be happy, but there was always something missing: Neji. I'd actually begun to count the days until his return. I even dreamed of throwing myself in his arms the moment I saw him and telling him the whole story.

At night while I thought, I could actually feel the silky strands of his hair in my fingers and the bone structure of his face. I could see the shape of his body and taste his kisses. Hear his voice in my ear and smell that woodsy scent on him.

And that's why the day of his return I didn't sleep. I was so ready to see him again, to hold him, that I was practically jumping around with anticipation.

Needing to calm myself, I decided to take a little stroll. I was nearing home once again when Hinata came scurrying up to me.

"Hey," I greeted with a radiant smile, which she didn't return.

Her huge stomach bumped my arm when she waddled by me.

"Neji's back," she whispered softly.

"Great!" I cried, feeling my heart rise. "I'm going to go-"

I began to walk away, more like run, when Hinata's hand shot out and caught my arm. Her eyes looked sad and pained, and my smile slowly began to evaporate at her next words.

"He's not alone."

**A/N: (Gasp!) No way! Lol. Well, that was a short chapter, but the rest will probably be much longer. I'm not going to tell you who's (ha, I totally spelled that right) with him, so you'll just have to read the next chapter, which will probably be out tomorrow. But I might reconsider. Most of you probably have some idea who he's got tagging along, and no it's not a Naruto character. There, I basically gave you the biggest hint I could. Well, later!**


	7. Chapter 7

The kunai hit the tree viciously, sending a large crack right down the middle. All around me lay a collage of different weapons, the metal blades glinting in the pale moonlight.

The anger and hurt that surged through me felt like fire in my veins, raging and unyielding. I picked up a shruiken and hurled it at the same tree with all my strength. It missed entirely and sailed into the surrounding bushes.

And they call me the Konoha weapons mistress. What bullshit. I couldn't even hit a fat ass tree.

I grabbed another kunai and tried to ignore the film of tears covering my eyes. I'd seen Neji earlier that day. Kami, he looked even more handsome than I remembered. I hadn't run into his arms like I thought I would because that woman was there with him. And he wouldn't have been able to catch me if one of his hands was occupied by one of hers.

Her name was Mai. That's what Hinata had told me only hours ago. At first, I hadn't believed what she'd said and had to see with my own eyes. I wish I hadn't.

She was beautiful with her deep auburn tresses and icy blue eyes. I opened and closed my eyes several times in hope that she was just some illusion and would disappear any moment. She didn't.

Hinata had walked with me back to my apartment, where Ino and Sakura were already waiting. As soon as I saw them I broke down into a fit of uncontrollable sobs. They cried with me, not saying a word because they didn't have to. They all understood what heartbreak what was like.

They were still at my apartment, having decided to stay the night in case I needed them. I did. Right now I needed them to tell me that Neji was just playing, to tell me that he wasn't with that girl.

What I needed even more was Neji. My whole body was unnaturally cold and empty, and there was a dull ache in my chest.

It wasn't fair! I'd thrown my whole heart out there at him, and now it's been flung right back in my face because of a stupid misunderstanding. I was more than ready to apologize as many times as possible for him to take me back.

But that wasn't his plan. He didn't want me back. He'd been on a fucking mission for Tsunade, which I was sure wasn't to get another girlfriend. So why the hell had he come back with one?

I flung my last kunai with so much force, it sent me to my knees, and I didn't bother to get up. What was the point? Where was I supposed to go?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Tenten!"

I turned when someone shouted my name, and smiled softly as Naruto sped in my direction. He grinned when he finally reached me, eyes bouncing with happiness.

"I need you to help me find a ring for Hinata," he stated.

I didn't understand at first, but after a couple minutes it finally hit me. "You're going to propose!" I declared loudly, feeling that excitement bubble up inside me.

He clamped a hand over my mouth and glanced about him cautiously. "Shh, no one is supposed to know."

"Sorry," I whispered back, struggling not to dance in the middle of the street.

Two days had passed since Neji returned, and I was struggling to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't mine anymore. I'd managed to catch sight of him only once, and that was when I'd passed a 

restaurant he and Mai were at. I hated her. I mean, when someone you don't even know steals the love of your life you're bound to feel some resentment toward them. I was beyond resentment and at the point of wanting to pin her down with a few kunai. She wasn't a ninja. She probably wouldn't catch them.

I suddenly found myself being dragged along the busy streets and into a jewelry store. This seemed like a bad idea, an excited Naruto in a store with very delicate items. That was not a good combination.

But he simply browsed, never touching or bumping into anything. When it came to jewelry, Hinata preferred more of a simple design. Anything too extravagant or huge made her nervous and self conscious.

Naruto and I browsed the many choices, occasionally pointing out something that caught our attention. I paused, a silver ring catching my attention.

It was a thick band of silver with intricate designs carved into them, beautiful and arching and graceful. Tiny diamonds outlined the ring, gleaming ever so faintly in the light. It was perfect.

"Naruto," I breathed. "Look at this one."

Naruto scurried over to me, and we both observed the ring. "Wow," he said. "I don't know much about jewelry, but if you say it's the right one, then I know it is."

Those simple words made my eyes tear, and I turned my head to smile at him. He bought the ring, which was an agreeably price, and we exited the store. My mood had lightened considerably, and I walked alongside Naruto with a slight bounce in my step.

"So when do you plan on asking her?" I asked, and Naruto blushed.

"Tonight," he answered softly, which was way out of character for him. "Hiashi said he didn't want a "bastard child" and now there won't be one."

I smiled at the cute blush adorning his face. There was a tender look in his eye that seemed to soften his matured features, and the smile on his lips gave him a more boyish edge. Man, he was a sucker in love.

"It's great what you're doing for her, Naruto," I said, and he grinned.

"But not as great as what you've done for the both of us," he said stopping suddenly, causing me to stop as well. He turned to face me fully, a more serious look on his face. "I never got to really thank you for what you've done. I mean, you helped Hinata so much those first four months, and the way you handled the Hiashi situation was better than either of us could've done. Me and Hinata owe a lot to you."

I was seriously touched by his thank you, enough to make my eyes water again, and I nearly cried out in surprise when Naruto hugged me and lifted me off the ground.

"Naruto…I can't…breathe," I managed to say against his broad chest, and he smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry," he said, setting me back on my feet. "I guess I'd better be getting back home. Hinata's probably mad with one of her cravings by now."

I bid him good bye but stopped when he called out my name once more. "Neji's stupid for not going back to you. He's really missing out."

I wavered for a moment before responding softly. "Thanks, Naruto."

My mood immediately returned to the brooding one, and I walked home with a heavy silence on my shoulders. The heat of the summer day was nearly intolerable, and I tugged uncomfortably at my collar. Honestly, how could a town with a freezing winter be so damn cold in the summer?

I was so out of it, I almost didn't catch Neji and Mai across the street. They didn't see me because they were too wrapped up in eachother.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he whispered something in her ear. The whole scene made me sick. My stomach churned, and my throat got sticky.

She raised her hand to move a piece of hair out his face, and that's when I saw it. A glittering, circular cut diamond that rested on a silver band on her finger. Dear Kami.

**A/N: Uh oh. I think we all know what that is. The next chapter is when Neji and Tenten finally come face to face but not under ordinary circumstances. I saw a ring on the internet that inspired Hinata's ring, and I loved it. Lol. Well, I'm out.**


	8. Chapter 8

"He's engaged!" I screeched, and Hinata looked down at her hands.

"I've been meaning to tell you," she said softly, and I dropped down onto her couch heavily. "He proposed to Mai just yesterday. I tried to talk him out of it, and I even told him the whole story about the pregnancy test and how I made you promise not to tell. He's still too heartbroken to accept it."

I was too stunned to say anything, and I was even more surprised to find that my eyes couldn't produce any tears. They felt too dry and shriveled up to gather any moisture.

He'd actually moved on. Maybe he wasn't still heartbroken but simply over it, over me. "He's engaged," I said again, barely even audible to my own ears.

Hinata continued on with her ranting, and I listened sub consciously. "He doesn't even know what he's doing. This is just some way to convince himself that he's over you. I mean, he's only known her for seven months. There's no possible way-"

"Maybe," I interrupted her in a soft voice, and she immediately stopped. "Maybe she really is right for him. It took him only seven months to propose to her, and he never even came close with me. It's just not meant to be."

Hinata looked at me as if I were insane. "Are you stupid!" she yelled, causing me to jump. I wasn't sure what astounded me more, the fact that she actually yelled or the suddenness of it. "He's in freaking love with you, Tenten, just as much as you are with him. The only reason he's even with that girl is because he's confused. Why aren't you chasing after him yet?"

Then, the tears that should have come earlier came in a furious torrent. "Because I'm tired, Hinata," I gasped. "I'm too tired to fight. It was too hard for me to even fight to go on without him those seven months, and now that he's let go of me to be with someone else the fight has gotten totally out of my range."

Hinata looked at me with crushed eyes, and I hung my head and let the tears drip off my nose. There was nothing more I could do anymore. I'd already lost. I had to give up now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Damn those stupid fools at the gate. Didn't I look like hell enough for one of them to help me? I was limping and shit, and they didn't give me a second glance!

I was worse off than I looked. I'd been sent on a simple A-rank mission, which I'd completed with ease, and had been returning home when I'd been ambushed by fucking grass nin.

They would have been easy to defeat had there not been eight of them. The first four had gone down relatively easy, leaving me with only a few cuts and bruises, but it was the last four that got me in this condition. I'd already been exhausted from my lack of sleep, and the situation with Neji had my energy lower than normal, so I had basically gotten my ass kicked.

So here I was with a gash to my side, wobbly legs, several bleeding cuts, a dizzy head, and a stab wound to my shoulder. My life really sucked right now.

The hospital was too far. There was no way I was going to make it before passing out from loss of blood. The moonlit world tilted dangerously to one side, and I dropped to my knees as it began to spin out of control. My stomach churned uncomfortably, and I pressed my hands on the cool earth for a form of support.

"Tenten?"

The voice sounded so far away, but there was a person standing right in front of me. The person was tall and very lean with dark brown hair and- Kami, it was Neji.

I suddenly found it hard to breathe on top of all my other problems and had to turn my face away from him.

"Tenten," he said again, kneeling before me. His voice, though still sounding distant, was beautiful and calming to my ears and sounded slightly panicked. He couldn't be worried, could he?

"Neji," I gasped out as I fell forward, losing my balance.

His arms wound around me, catching me with ease, and he lifted me off the ground and began to make his way quickly to the hospital. I let my head fall against his chest, enjoying the feeling of his muscles moving in his arms.

The only thing I was aware of at that moment was his body touching mine and the rush of the cool night air. I gazed up into his face, trying to intake every little change that had happened in those seven months. Almost nothing had changed, except for the slightly hardened look in his eyes and the small scar that now adorned his right cheek.

I'd told myself that giving up on him was the best thing for me to do, but being so close to him again made my body resume that terrible ache for him. I didn't want to just let him go. I wanted him to be mine again.

My vision began to spin even faster than before, and I clutched Neji's shirt so tightly my fingers began to hurt. His words were the last thing that reached my ears before I blacked out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Why were hospitals so….white? I mean, everything in this hospital was white: the walls, the bed sheets, and even the floor tiles had more white dots than blue. Someone seriously needed to redecorate.

I sighed and leaned back against the headboard of the bed. I'd been awake for about an hour now but decided not to press the little button that signaled for the nurses. My abdomen and shoulder were healed but still stiff and sore.

Lee had actually come to visit me a few minutes ago, looking quite worried, and I had to endure a twenty minute speech about youth. I wondered if that guy would be talking about youth even when he was old and wrinkly.

Throughout that ridiculous speech, I had sunk into my pillow and thought of the previous night. I could still smell him, that familiar woodsy scent. But there was something slightly different about it, something sweeter.

It took me only a few minutes to realize that it must have been the Mai's perfume combined with his scent. That realization hit hard and painfully, nearly knocking the breath out of me, and I had to fight hard to stop the waterfall of tears from falling in front of Lee.

But he and I had been friends for a long time, and he could tell that something was amiss. He didn't say anything, but I could tell by the way his eyes softened and looked into mine with an understanding that only a true friend could have that he knew of my pain. And before he left, he hugged me so fondly that I feared I would start bawling right there, but I managed to hold them back.

Even now that I was alone I still didn't want to cry. I didn't know why, but it felt so pathetic for me to be the one crying alone in a hospital. Usually, it was the people who weren't in the hospital who cried for those who were. Not the other way around.

My hair hung in a wild mass of brown around my head, and I shoved my fingers through it in an effort to tame it. The buns I had worn for the mission had fallen out during the fight, and I cringed. No wonder the guards at the gate hadn't wanted to help me.

"Tenten," came a gentle voice, and I glanced up to see Sakura entering the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," I replied, and Sakura smiled.

"Good," she responded. "You passed out due to loss of blood, but luckily it wasn't anything extremely fatal. We managed to heal the stab wound and gash nicely, and your other injuries are only a few abrasions and bruises. I have to give you another examination before you're able to go."

This was what I respected about Sakura. She managed to be your friend while remaining professional and doing her job accordingly.

She did the exam quickly but didn't leave the room when she had finished. She looked like she was in deep thought, and I was about to ask her what was wrong when spoke up first.

"He was really worried, you know," she said, and I bit my lip and lowered my head. "He still cares for you."

"There's a difference between caring and loving," I muttered. Man, I was such a downer.

Sakura smiled softly, obviously not affected by my negativity. "He did that thing where he acts so calm and indifferent, but his eyes were going crazy, Ten. Have a little hope. I know what I saw, and it's the same thing that I used to see between you guys, and it's the same thing that I see now."

She left me to think about what she just said, and I felt that small glimmer of hope ignite within me. She said she saw it now. But there was a difference between loving and caring, and I wanted the loving side of him to be mine. No, it was impossible. But still, I couldn't stop the hope from growing within me when I remembered what he said to me last night before I went unconscious.

"Stay with me, Ten. Please don't leave me."

**A/N: Okay so there was Neji and Tenten's first meeting after all this time. And things are going to get heated up between the two later on because HELLO they're Neji and Tenten, and their relationship is hot. Lol. I'm out.**


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey, Tenten," Shikamaru mumbled when I opened the door, and I smiled.

"I'm guessing Ino forced you to come," I said, stepping back to allow him to step inside the Hyuuga household.

He nodded, and I shut the door. "I didn't want to argue with her," he stated. "She's much less troublesome when she's not screaming at me."

I knew exactly how he felt. Hinata had protested the baby shower that Ino had wanted to throw, but Ino was adamant on having it. Hinata finally had to give in but wanted it to be at the Hyuuga household. It was better in size anyway.

So I'd spent most of the day helping them string pink and white streamers all over the place and blowing up stupid balloons that said retarded things like "It's a girl!" and "Welcome New Baby!"

At first, I'd been in an awful mood, but the giddiness that had caught onto Hinata finally caught up to me as well. Still, it was an awful lot of work to put up all that stuff with only three people. Sakura couldn't come because she was still at the hospital.

Another knock sounded on the door, and I opened it to reveal a smiling Sakura and unsmiling Sasuke. "I thought only women were supposed to come to baby showers," Sasuke said, and I shrugged.

"Obviously this one is different."

I just a half hour, there were too many people to count. Leave it to Ino to invite people that Hinata didn't even know. But she was having fun nonetheless. Naruto had his fingers entwined with hers, and every once in a while they'd steal away to a corner to sit alone and talk in soft tones.

It really was nice to watch them. Both of them seemed to glow with a happiness that made others smile warmly and gaze at them in jealousy. Okay, that last one was me, but it was possible for anybody.

"Tenten," Ino slurred, popping up in front of me suddenly. "We ran out of chips. Could you be a dear and go get some more from the kitchen?"

Well, someone had a bit too much to drink already. I glanced over her shoulder to see Shikamaru hurrying over with an annoyed expression on his face. "Sure, Ino," I said and let her be led away by the brunette.

We were, indeed, out of chips, so I made my way through the mass of people to the kitchen. I passed Hiashi by the stairs, and he stopped for a moment.

"Your friend, the blond, she really knows how to throw a party, doesn't she?" he said, and I smiled.

"Partying is her lifestyle, Sir," I responded, and he shook his head.

"Hiashi will do," he stated before nodding in goodbye and walking out of the manor, no doubt to escape the noise. I smiled to myself.

The kitchen was like heaven to me at the moment. It was empty, seeing that the refreshments were all out in the living room, and I sighed in relief. Like I was supposed to, I opened a bag of chips and poured it into the large blue bowl. There was a bit of shuffling behind me, and I turned my head to see who it was.

I nearly dropped the bowl when I saw Neji digging through the fridge casually. I just stood there, the bowl in my hands, and watched him. He had to have seen me when he walked in, so how could he march in as if I wasn't really there?

I'd only gotten out of the hospital two days ago and hadn't had the chance to thank him. I could do it right now, but the nervous shudders that ran through my body made it hard to think straight. The chips jumped in the bowl as my shaking hands clutched it tighter, and I set it back down on the counter. I could do it.

"N..Neji," I said in a voice barely above a whisper. Shit. That's not how I wanted it to come out.

He whipped around and glared at me. "What the hell do you want?" he barked, and I was taken aback by his rude manner. I was so surprised that I didn't respond for a moment. "Well?" he said, raising his eyebrow and staring down at me with a look of superiority.

Anger shot through me. Who the hell did he think he was talking to me like that? I narrowed my eyes and placed my hands on my hips. "Well if you're going to be a dick then I really don't think you deserve to hear it," I snapped, grabbing the bowl and marching away.

He stopped me at the door, shooting his arm out in front of my face and pressing his hand on the door frame. I blinked in surprise before gliding my eyes along that finely toned arm of his and glaring at his damn gorgeous face.

"What the hell is it, Tenten?" he asked once more, and I shoved his arm aside, secretly loving the feel of it.

"I was going to thank you for helping me, but now I think I would have preferred someone else," I said. Liar!

He smirked, which sent another rush of anger through my veins. Why was he smirking?

"No problem," he said, and I realized just how close his face was. His breath was hot and tickled my face pleasantly. Shit, he was distracting me. "I'm used to saving your ass all the time."

My eyes bulged, and I was sure I looked like a bug. Did he just call me weak? Oh, hell no. Letting my rage control my actions, I lifted the bowl up and dumped the contents of it on his head before stomping off.

That stupid, pompous, egotistical bastard! Where did he get off telling me shit like that and acting so rude? Kami, I wished there had been dip or punch in that bowl instead of chips. Or maybe even a bunch of nails and thumbtacks, though I'm not really sure why nails and thumbtacks would be in a food bowl. Oh, whatever. That wasn't even the point.

Hinata immediately sprang off the couch when she saw me stalking through the living room. "Tenten, what happened?" she asked, waddling after me as I headed toward the door.

"Your damn cousin is what happened to me," I snapped and immediately regretted it when I saw the hurt look on her face. "I'm sorry, but I think I'm going to go home now."

She only nodded. "What did he do?"

"He's being an ass," I responded and sighed.

"It's like a defense mechanism," she said softly. "He was hurt, and now he thinks that being rude to you will make it better."

Over her shoulder, I saw Mai, in all her freaking beautiful glory, come down the stairs and turn into the living room. She and Neji were staying here with Hiashi for a while.

"Well, Mai obviously makes it better, so I think being rude is sort of a random act," I mumbled.

"You know how Neji is," she said. "He just doesn't know what he wants."

"Hinata, I know how much you don't want me to give up on him, but it's pretty evident that he doesn't want me back," I responded sadly.

Hinata only shook her head and hugged me at the door. "I still think you're wrong, Tenten."

**A/N: I can actually see Tenten doing that to Neji. Lol. In the next chapter, there will be a false alarm for Hinata, and Neji and Tenten will kiss! Yay! Okay, I know Hiashi is out of character in this story, but I don't want him to be a boring killjoy, so you'll just have to deal. Later!**


	10. Chapter 10

A whole month and a half had passed since Hinata's baby shower, and Neji hadn't changed his attitude toward me in the least bit. I rarely saw him, that was true, but we did occasionally bump into eachother in the streets, and he always gave me that same icy glare, which I returned with equal venom.

Each glare was a lie. I didn't feel the same hatred toward him as he felt toward me, but I did what I had to in order to look unaffected.

I did, however, feel that hate and anger rise within me whenever I saw her. That woman who wasn't me. She would laugh, tossing her head back and letting those beautiful curls tumble down her back, and he would do that smirking thing that made him look so incredibly sexy and handsome.

I watched her sometimes, but no I wasn't a stalker of any sort. I just wanted to see what she had that Neji thought to be so much better than I could ever give. I could tell she was funny by the way he always cracked a smile. She was outgoing too, always making an effort to talk to everyone and speaking her mind about everything.

I envied her terribly. It was an emotion I'd never felt so strongly before. The hate bubbled inside me and lit my bones on fire until I seriously thought I would melt. She was perfect and wonderful, and worst of all, she had him.

The fact that he knew about the whole misunderstanding and still didn't come back to me was overwhelmingly painful, and many nights I had to fight the tears that always wanted to come. And they always did, despite my efforts.

On top of all that, I constantly worried about when their wedding would take place. Soon, surely, but I heard she wanted one of those ridiculously huge weddings with the extravagant dress and expensive as hell center pieces. So I had some time. Possibly.

Hinata and Naruto's wedding was in three weeks, and I had been busy helping her plan every little detail. She didn't seem the least bit concerned with the fact that her large belly would be visible, and I respected her for that. How she looked was not a concern of hers. The only thing that mattered was that she was getting married to the man she loved.

I smiled faintly as I watched her hum lightly and practically skip down the aisles of the grocery store. She probably would be skipping if her stomach wasn't so huge.

"I need to get some more ramen," she said, and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe Naruto still ate that stuff every day. Some things never change. "Oh, hey, Neji."

My head snapped up from the all the different sorts of ramen there were, resulting in a painful whiplash. Sure enough, Neji was standing there in front of Hinata, who looked very uneasy, and he was actually alone. Wow, that's a surprise.

"The fox boy still eats that shit," Neji commented, though lightly, and Hinata smiled. "I'm sure you'll set him right, Cousin."

This was the side of Neji that I had once brought out from the shadows, the softer more gentle side that no one had before witnessed. That side wasn't available to me anymore.

"Is there something you wanted?" he asked with that damn smirk on his face once more. How could a man I love so much infuriate me to no end?

"Why don't you just-" I began, but Hinata suddenly gasped.

She was clutching her stomach and turned her gaze to me with fear filled eyes. "I…think…it's time," she gasped.

Neji and I forgot our previous argument, and we glanced at eachother before springing into action.

"Kami, we have to get her to the hospital!" I all but screamed, and Neji lifted her into his arms and took off.

I knew she was heavy, but Neji didn't let that faze him. I don't know how I was able to even run with the panic rushing through my body. Villagers paused to stare at us as we ran by, some in amusement and others in curiosity.

We burst through the hospital doors in mad panic, and Neji immediately began shouting at the nurses about the problem at hand. Hinata was whisked away from his arms, and we followed her but weren't allowed inside the room.

So, instead, the two of us sat silently and impatiently in the waiting room. The people and medics bustling around made the hours pass by too slowly for my liking, and I jumped every time I thought a medic was coming our way.

The sun had vanished, replaced by a velvety black sky and brightly twinkling stars. I grew weary, and my eyelids drooped heavily. Finally, a medic stopped before us, and Neji and I jumped to our feet.

"It was a false alarm," she said, and I released an irritated sigh. A false alarm! You've got to be fucking kidding me!

By some crazy coincidence, Naruto came running up. "Did I miss it?" he asked breathlessly. His hair was in complete disarray, and his eyes were unfocused. He had, undoubtedly, ran here as fast as he could and dropped whatever he had been doing.

"No," Neji responded before I could. "It was a false alarm."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and let his body sag against the wall. "Man, I thought I was going to miss the most important day of my life."

I noticed for the first time that Neji and Naruto were actually standing side by side, and they looked totally at ease with eachother. Of course they would have met up in the month and a half Neji had been back, but I didn't expect Neji to act so calmly around the boy who had gotten his cousin pregnant even after all this time. Would it have been the same way if I had told him eight months ago?

"I'm going to go see Hinata," Naruto announced after the medic gave us the okay. "You guys coming?"

Neji and I nodded and followed him to the stupidly white room. Hinata was sitting up, propped up by two white pillows and her eyes shut. She slid her eyelids open when she heard us enter the room and focused her opaque eyes on us.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Naruto asked, sitting on the edge of her bed and taking one of her dainty hands in one of his large ones.

"That was the most nerve wracking thing I've ever experienced," she said, and Naruto and I laughed while Neji chuckled softly. "I actually though I was going to have the baby without you here." She squeezed Naruto's hand, who smoothed back her hair.

"No," he said softly. "I promise I'll be here next time."

I shifted, feeling awkward standing so close to Neji and witnessing such a sentimental moment. I chatted with Hinata for a few moments before announcing my departure.

"I'll walk you home," Neji stated, and I froze.

"I think I'm capable of walking myself home," I snapped, not believing he just offered, no stated, that when he has been being such an ass to me all this time.

He snorted. "You won't make it very far with your eyes half open, and there are plenty of men who would love to take advantage of a girl walking alone at night. Just stop being such a stubborn ass."

I clenched my fists and took deep breaths to hold back the anger rising inside me. "I'm not a girl," I stated. "I'm a woman, and I also happen to be a ninja who is perfectly capable of fighting off some drunk bastards if the time came."

"Some of those men might not be drunk," he stated in that damn know it all tone. "And they may not even be civilians."

I opened my mouth to retort, but Naruto cut me off. "You know, he's got a point, Tenten. Just let him walk you home. What harm could it do?"

I glared disbelievingly at Naruto before remembering that my mouth was still open and snapping it shut. "Fine," I said dejectedly and stomped from the room.

Neji manage to catch up with me in a few strides, and we walked out into the streets together. The awkward strain was tight and hung over our heads with an unbelievable weight. We used to walk together all the time at night, but we usually held hands or at least talked. This was so much different.

I was filled with that all too familiar longing and ache for him, and I fought down the urge to reach out and run my hand along his strong jaw, to press my body into his.

I snuck occasional glances at him, loving the way the moonlight hit his face at an angle that made him look handsome and dangerous and completely irresistible. His features looked stronger and sharper in the light, and I snapped my eyes back ahead.

We had finally reached my apartment, and he took the liberty of walking to me to the door. I'd planned to go inside without another word or goodbye, but I only managed to open the door when he spoke up.

"You could have told me." There was an angry edge to his voice, and I turned to face him.

"Really, Neji?" I said sharply. "You would have gone straight to Naruto and beat the shit out of him as soon as the words had left my mouth."

"And how the hell do you know how I would've reacted," he said, his voice rising, and I let out an exasperated sigh and stormed inside with Neji in hot pursuit. "You're the one who couldn't trust me enough to keep a secret and act maturely about it!"

"No!" I whirled around and shouted. "I couldn't! Because I've known you for most of my life and it's not in your character to take something like that so lightly. And you obviously didn't trust me when you found that damn pregnancy test!"

"How would you have reacted!" he shouted back, and I winced. "Dammit, Tenten, I was scared as hell when I found that fucking thing. How the hell was I supposed to know that it was Hinata's if you didn't tell me? You didn't make an effort to tell me then, and you didn't bother with me when I got back."

I felt the tears gather thickly in my eyes, and I drew in a shaky breath. I was hurt and angry, but I wasn't sure which one was stronger. They both seemed to grasp my heart in an iron grip and barrel through my body at an amazing speed.

"Are you kidding?" I said in a soft, hoarse voice. "I was more than happy that you were coming back, and then I saw you with her-" I stopped and turned away. "It's pretty damn obvious that you didn't give a damn about whether I told you or not. You were too busy fucking your new fiancé!"

I could practically feel the anger radiating off his body, and I expected him to yell at me or shout some nasty things. Instead, I found myself being jerked around and shoved against the wall. His hands were planted on either side of my head, and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"You don't know the hell I went through after that day," he said venomously, and I felt like shrinking away but stood my ground.

"You?" I said. "You're the one that left me. How the hell do you think I felt! I'm in love with you dammit! Do you know how hard it is for me not to just kiss you right now!"

The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them, and we both froze. If it was possible for time to stop, then it did in that moment. My words seemed to have more of an impact than I intended them to, and we both just stared at eachother like we'd never seen eachother before.

I opened my mouth to say something else, but I instead found it covered by Neji's. My senses went wild at the once familiar touch, and I responded immediately.

His hands were now deep in my hair, and his tongue probed my lips and plunged into my mouth. Our tongues danced madly, and our breathing became hard and heavy.

Closer! Closer! Closer! My mind was screaming at me, and my body was begging me for more touching, more contact. The heat in the room had suddenly gotten unbearable, and I struggled to breathe.

His lips left mine and began to plant hot open mouthed kisses along my collarbone, and I threw my head back and withheld my moan. My hands fisted in those gorgeous, silky locks of his, and I gently nibbled on the shell of his ear.

The ball of heat in my stomach grew, spreading form head to toe, and the tension in my stomach tightened. I was in heaven right now. The sensations I was feeling were intense and pleasant, and I didn't want them to stop anytime soon.

All too soon, I became aware of everything: my shaking hands, his harsh breathing, and his lips now poised above my pulse point. And here, with my body pressed flush against his and the heat from our bodies mingling, I realized that I was doing exactly what he had accused me of doing all those months ago.

He seemed to realize that too because he stilled, and I pushed him away. Shame flooded through me, and I couldn't gain the courage to look him in the eye. Here I was, a Konoha kunoichi who had fought members of the Akatsuki and killed other men, and I couldn't even look my former lover in the eye.

Even though he wasn't touching me now, I could still feel his hands in my hair, and my lips still burned from the kisses he gave me. My body still begged for more.

He didn't look at me as he walked through the door, and I slid down the wall to sit alone on the floor. Alone. The word echoed through my mind. Why was I still alone?

**A/N: Aww, Neji does care. Well, there's a few more chapters to go, and then it's over. Poor Tenten. It seems like it never ends for her, but you'll see what happens. **


	11. Chapter 11

"Tenten," Sakura said groggily when she opened the door.

It was obvious that I had woken her from her slumber, but I hadn't known where else to go after Neji kissed me. Ino was probably at some club, and I wasn't sure if Hinata had been released from the hospital yet. It was maybe one in the morning, but I really had no idea. The time was really not my concern right now.

Sakura's eyes focused better on my face, and her eyes widened slightly. "Kami, what the hell happened to you? Come in. Come in." She ushered me inside. Did I really look that bad?

Sasuke was standing in the doorway to their bedroom, looking sort of pissed and tired, but his gaze lost that angry edge when he saw me. Shit, what the hell did I look like?

I knew my hair was a mess, my lips swollen, and I spotted a red mark on my shoulder that Neji had left. I had cried a bit so my eyes were probably red rimmed, and my clothes were a bit mussed. I must have looked a fright.

Sakura led me to the couch and sat down beside me, her arm draped around my shoulders. "Ten, what happened to you?" she asked urgently.

"Neji-" I began in a soft voice, but she cut me off.

"Neji did this to you?"

I nodded slowly, and she shot the Uchiha a worried look, who had gotten off the wall and was standing there in disbelief, or something rather close to it.

"Kami, I can't believe he would do this to you," Sakura exclaimed, jumping off the couch. "Sasuke, we have to do something."

I stared at her for a moment, confused as to why she was freaking out. Then it clicked.

"He didn't rape me you dumbass," I snapped, and Sakura sighed in relief. "No, he just kissed me and left. I mean, what kind of guy kisses you and then leaves. I know he's got a fiancé, but then why the hell did he kiss me?"

Sakura's gaze softened, and she reclaimed her spot next to me. For some odd reason, she was smiling. "I told you he loved you, Ten," she said softly.

"You don't get it," I said, placing my head in my hands. "He had me right there. I told him I loved him, and after he kissed me he still didn't want to be with me. He wants to be with her."

Hot tears slid through my fingers, and I was overcome by the helplessness that hit me. There was nothing I could do or say that would bring him back to me. I was at a loss. I'd already confessed that I was still in love with him and made it pretty damn obvious that he could have me if he wanted me, but he didn't. I was no longer a person of interest to him.

Sakura's gentle hands rubbed a comforting circle on my back, and I let myself sink lower into the sofa. "I hate him, Sakura," I whispered. "I love him so much that I hate him."

"I know how you feel," she responded, and I lifted my head up.

"You do know Sasuke's still in the room, right?" I whispered.

"Yes," she giggled. "But he knows that he used to be an inconsiderate asshole." She flashed a cheeky grin at her boyfriend, who only grunted. There was, however, a gentle glow in his eyes.

It was odd to see the once stone cold Uchiha gaze so fondly at Sakura. I mean, this was Sasuke Uchiha. He was known for his nonexistent emotions and indifferent attitude. It had just been a front this whole time. He did care, but his ego had been too big to let it show.

The two were so alike it was almost scary. For a time, I had gotten through to Neji the same way Sakura had to Sasuke. Maybe apologizing and realizing that you made the wrong decision bruised Neji's ego a bit too much. I really didn't care. I just wanted him to be with me.

And he'd have to come after me because I wasn't the type of girl to pursue and engaged man, no matter how much I loved him. It just didn't seem right to me.

I voiced my thoughts to Sakura, and she listened intently. "Well, if that's your decision, then you've got to go on with life the best you can until he comes to his senses," she said. That was so much easier said than done, but I would do what I had to.

When I got home at nearly four in the morning later that night, I went to the bedroom and lay on what was once Neji's side of the bed. I buried my face deep into the pillow that hadn't been touched since the day he left.

It was the same pillow that he had rolled over on and semi smiled at me when I woke up in the morning. It was the same pillow that he had buried his face in after a tiring mission, and his smell still clung to it faintly.

I inhaled it deeply, breathing that beautiful scent until it filled my lungs. The tears leaked from my eyes and dampened the pillow, but his scent never left. And I fell asleep on his side of the bed that night, clutching the pillow as tightly as possible and wishing it was him. Something inside me hoped that he would be by my side again, and another part of me tried to face the reality of the matter and realize that he might not want to be.

**A/N: That was sort of depressing, but I enjoyed writing it. Lol. I try to throw in a bit of humor in every chapter to lighten the mood a little, so if it's not funny I apologize. Well, the next chapter is the wedding, but everything won't turn out as planned. I think there will be maybe two chapters left, but I'm not quite sure, so we'll just have to wait and see.**


	12. Chapter 12

Days seemed to drag on even slower than normal. With Hinata and Naruto's wedding approaching, the village was in a state of excitement and hurry. Well, it was Sakura, Ino, and I who were doing the hurrying. We had to get the last of the wedding details down and hand out the invitations.

Hinata seemed to be in her own little world. She walked around humming soft, romantic tunes and wearing a smile that never seemed to fade. I don't know a lot about brides and weddings, but I was sure that most brides were frantic with worry and frustrated as hell the days before the wedding, you know, total bridezilla mode. Hinata was anything but. It probably wasn't in her nature to be so frantic and crazy.

Naruto seemed to be even more hyper than usual, if that was even possible, and he was annoying the shit out of basically everyone. But his attitude totally changed when he was with Hinata. Most of the time, he would just sit there and hold her in his arms, neither of them talking, and would lay his hands on her swelled stomach or bury his face in her hair. It was adorable.

I, too, felt the love for my unborn niece growing. Yes, I was going to be an aunt. The thought was thrilling and exciting, and I often found myself smiling whenever I thought of Kaiya. That's what they'd decided to name her. It meant forgiveness, but I really don't the meaning of her name mattered to them. She would never have to be forgiven for anything.

The first time I got to feel her kick was just a few days ago. When I felt that little thump against my hand, I nearly cried. There was actually a life right there beneath my hand, a beautiful baby girl was actually growing right there.

The thought had been overwhelming, and with that wonder was also a mixture of sadness and emptiness. I'd seriously thought for some time that I would one day carry Neji's children, and Mai would take that from me one day.

But I refused to let myself be sad the days before Hinata's wedding. She was about to take a big step in her life, and I wanted to be there to help her in any way that she would need it.

So that's how I found myself staring at Hinata with a wide smile across my face the day of her wedding. We were at my house, since I lived closer to where the wedding would take place, and I was doing the finishing touches on her hair.

Hinata had ordered Ino and Sakura to go ahead and see how everything was going, while I stayed behind. She really did look beautiful, and she hadn't even put the dress on yet.( She wanted to save the best part for last.) Her makeup was light, only mascara, a bit of eye shadow, and a sparkling lip gloss. She preferred it that way, and it suited her perfectly.

Her midnight black tresses had been done into soft curls and let down so they framed her ivory face. But what made her look beautiful was the radiant smile on her face that lit it up and made her eyes sparkle.

"You look great," I said softly, and she glanced in the mirror and smiled wider.

Sakura, Ino, and I were the bridesmaids and wore a white satin dress that fell just above our knees. It had thin white straps,( thank Kami because I had a bad history with strapless dresses) and a small fringe of red lace peeking out beneath the bottom and a red sash tied into a bow around the waist.

They were perfect, beautiful and simple and totally comfortable. We had somewhat of a hard time trying to find something that didn't clash with Sakura's hair. At one point, she'd just thrown her hands up and declared that she would just go naked. Unfortunately, we had been at her apartment looking through wedding magazines, and Sasuke overhead her. He sat there and made sure that we picked dresses that were 'appropriate.'

"I'm ready for the dress," she said finally, and I could tell she was withholding her excitement.

I nodded and turned and made my way to the bed where it lay in all its white and extravagant glory.

"Oh Kami," I heard her say as I unzipped the bag it was in. "Ten, I think it's happening."

I pulled the dress out and nearly squealed. "Of course it's happening," I said. "You love Naruto, and he loves you. Weddings happen when people are in love."

"No!" she gasped. "I think the baby is coming!"

The dress fell from my hands and landed on the floor with a 'whoosh' sound. I whipped around to find Hinata clutching her stomach and breathing rapidly. This time, the panic hit right away.

"This better not be a false alarm," I said hurriedly. "Because these heels aren't made for running and-"

"Ten," she snapped. "Either I just peed or my water broke."

My eyes widened when I spotted the dark patch on my carpet. "Oh, shit!" I cried. "Oh, shit. Oh, shit."

Oh Kami, how the hell was I going to get her to the hospital? I may be a ninja, but there was no way in hell that I would be able to carry _that_!

She cried out, and I forced myself into action. Grabbing her arm, I pulled her out of the apartment and along the street.

"Tenten, I can't fucking walk," she hissed through the pain.

It was the first time I ever heard her cuss, but I had no time to ogle in wonder. "What do you want me to do!" I cried, ignoring all the incredulous stares the villagers were giving us. "There's no one here to help us, and, no offense or anything, but I really don't think I'll be able to carry you."

She muffled another cry with her hand, and I glanced around frantically. The hospital wasn't too much further, but trying to run with a pregnant woman made things a lot harder.

"Excuse me," a deep voice interrupted my freak out moment, and I glanced up to see a tall man with sandy blond hair standing before me. I knew him! Kami, he was an ANBU member. Neji once had a mission with him. "Do you need some help?"

"Yes!" I nearly screamed in his face. "My friend here is about to have a baby, and there's no way-"

Apparently I'd said enough because he swooped Hinata up in his arms and nodded for me to follow. This man was my hero. While I stumbled and nearly fell several times, he ran ahead of me with ease, and we burst through the hospital doors a few minutes later.

I grabbed a nurse who was walking by and told her about Hinata, and she bustled away to get some help. I turned to the man, breathing heavily.

"You are my freaking hero," I gasped. "I could kiss you right now."

He blushed a deep crimson, and I felt my own cheeks flush at my words but had no time to care about them when the nurse reappeared with a medic. "Follow me," she ordered, and we hastily trailed behind her.

"Tenten," Hinata gasped in the man's arms as we torpedoed down the hall. "Naruto. You have to go get him. I can't do this without him."

I nodded and immediately turned and sprinted down the hall and out into the streets once more. Damn these fucking heels! My feet burned, and my toes were screaming in pain. My mind was racing so fast, that I was surprised when I came upon the wedding ceremony that wasn't even happening.

Naruto saw me first, and I saw the look of fear in his eyes when he noticed Hinata wasn't with me. He stood by the Sakura tree they were supposed to be getting married under, and I stopped where the long white carpet began.

"Naruto, Hinata is having the baby!" I shouted, and everyone gasped.

Naruto simply stared at me with wide eyes, and Sasuke, the best man, pushed him forward roughly. "Go, Dobe!"

In a flash, Naruto was beside me, grabbing my hand and pulling me along the streets back toward the hospital. I was sure I hadn't even run this fast when I was trying to escape from grass nin.

"I'm going to be a dad!" he kept exclaiming as we went, and I laughed through my harsh breathing.

When we entered the hospital, the running still didn't stop. We got to pause for a few seconds to ask the nurse at the front desk where Hinata was but then bolted off again. That guy was waiting outside Hinata's room and I patted him on the arm and flashed a grateful smile before following Naruto in.

"Push, Hinata," the middle aged medic was ordering, and Naruto and I were by Hinata's side in a flash, each grabbing one of her hands.

Hinata was sweating profusely and gritted her teeth and did as the medic ordered. Her grip was nearly crushing my hand, but I let it go.

Time slowed down for a moment, and I glanced around the room to digest the scene around me. Naruto looked out of place in his tux, and he was smoothing back Hinata's hair and whispering encouraging things to her.

Hinata had tears pooling in her eyes, and her cries made it pretty evident that she was in pain. The medic kept looking up to tell Hinata to push while the other nurses bustled about doing whatever they were supposed to be doing.

I glanced down at my hand joined with Hinata's and felt that powerful surge of affection and friendship rush through me.

And then I looked back at the engaged couple. For a split second, Naruto stopped talking and simply stared at Hinata. She stopped screaming and stared back at him. I could literally feel the connection between the two, the love, and tears filled my own eyes.

Then, a baby's cry sounded throughout the room.

**A/N: Whew, that was a long chapter. My fingers hurt. Lol. Well, Hinata finally had her baby, thank god. I enjoyed writing this chapter. I've never actually seen someone have a baby, so forgive me if it the experience is different than that, but I've seen plenty movies to know it's somewhere along those lines. Haha. Well, in the next chapter the wedding happens like it was supposed to, and Tenten talks to Mai for the first time. **


	13. Chapter 13

I cried when I saw little Kaiya's head, and I cried when Hinata collapsed against the pillow, also crying. The baby was whisked away to be cleaned, and Naruto gathered an exhausted Hinata in his arms and buried his face in her shoulder.

His eyes had a shiny look to them, so I guessed he had been close to crying like the nurses were. And I suddenly felt like an outsider when Kaiya Uzumaki was brought back into the room all clean and gurgling and handed to Hinata.

Together, they made a beautiful family.

So me, without a family of my own, leaned back against the wall and watched as Naruto and Hinata gazed down at their daughter with an indescribable look in their eyes. I was still crying, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, when Hinata looked up at me.

"Do you want to hold her?"

Without hesitation, I stepped forward, and Hinata held out Kaiya to me. She felt like nothing but a doll in my arms and I cradled her in my arms. I could make out the beginnings of fine dark hairs on her head, and when I cooed her name softly she opened her eyes to reveal their bright cerulean hue.

I pressed my cheek to her forehead gently before handing her to Naruto. There was a burst of noise outside, and I curiously peeked my head out. The whole wedding party was standing outside, looking ridiculously out of place in their formal attire.

I laughed and stepped outside. "Tenten!" Sakura and Ino cried when they saw me.

"It's a girl," I stated and everyone whooped loudly.

"Well, let's get on with this wedding then," Tsunade said, stepping into the room.

And right there, seventeen minutes after their daughter was born, Naruto and Hinata were married.

The other three patients in the maternity ward cried when they crept out of their rooms to watch. Sakura hugged Sasuke tightly and cried. Ino smiled up at Shikamaru while she cried. Tsunade tried not to cry as she preformed the ceremony. Hinata cried when she kissed Naruto and held her daughter.

Standing back in a small corner, I cried alone.

After the ceremony, everyone stayed to get a glimpse of the infant, and I stepped out into the hall where everyone waited. I caught sight of Neji and Mai stealing off, and my heart wrenched viciously.

There was I slight pressure on my shoulder, and I looked down at Hiashi's hand. "I've always preferred you," he stated, giving me a sympathetic look (surprising, I know) and a pat on the shoulder before slipping away.

It suddenly felt too crowded in the hall, and I made my way out of the building. The night air was cool and refreshing on my face, and I slipped my heels off with a sigh. The grass surrounding the lake was soft and tickled my feet, and I smiled to myself. It was a beautiful night.

"So you're Tenten," came a voice as gentle as wind chimes.

I turned and found myself face to face with Mai. Her gaze looked dejected, and I felt sorry for her for some reason. I realized in that moment that I didn't hate her. I just hated the fact that she could be what I couldn't for Neji.

"Yes," I answered meekly, nervous with that intense gaze of hers.

She ran her eyes along my face before sighing, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I always knew you would be beautiful," she said softly with a bitter edge.

She always knew? Man, I was confused. "Excuse me?" I finally said.

Her voice sounded thick when she spoke, like she was about to cry. "I always knew the girl who broke Neji's heart had to have been beautiful. I mean, he was a god himself, and if he was the one with a broken heart than the girl who did the breaking must have really been something."

I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or something along the lines of an insult.

She continued. "I was pretty sure I had done a great job of healing him, but when he got here he got all stiff and cold again, like he had been when I first met him. I knew it was because of you. Then, when he figured out that you hadn't really lied to him, he just shut himself away in our room. He told me he wasn't upset, but I knew he was lying."

She broke off and let out a soft sob. "He proposed the next day, and I couldn't help but be happy for myself. I mean, I really love him, but it's hard being with someone who doesn't feel the same. And when he came home that one night with his clothes a mess and his hair all wild, I knew he had been with you, and I knew you had been the one to stop whatever you had been doing because his eyes looked hurt and confused. If I had been in your position, I probably wouldn't have stopped."

She slipped the diamond ring off her finger, gazing at it sadly for a moment, before handing it to me. Numbly, I took it, letting it rest in my shaking palm.

"Take care of him for me," she said softly before beginning to walk away.

"You're just letting him go?" I asked, and she smiled sorrowfully.

"I don't think I ever really had him to begin with." She continued to walk away but stopped suddenly. "Besides, my name doesn't start with a 't'."

My brow furrowed. What did she mean by that? I watched her walk away, her shoulders shaking and her head down.

Then, my gaze turned to the ring. It glinted in the moonlight, and I felt my heart squeeze as I turned it around on my palm. I'd wanted this so bad. I caught sight of something etched on the inside of the silver band and brought it up to my face.

_N.H & T.H forever._

Huh? Then finally it registered in my mind.

'_Besides, my name doesn't start with a 't'.'_

The rush of emotions was nearly too much, and I had to fight to hold myself up. Then hurt and anger, hot and furious filled me. I raised my hand with the ring in it towards the lake and prepared to-

"That was expensive, you know," an all too familiar voice said from behind me.

I froze, my breath catching, before slowly turning. There he was, with his hands in his pockets, staring at me with that indifferent look on his face.

"If you don't want it, can I at least have it back?"

There was a severe flash of hurt ripping through me, and I lowered my eyes so he wouldn't see the tears.

"Here," I said angrily, chunking the ring at him, which he caught easily, and I turned to walk away. This was beyond mortifying.

Fingers enclosed around my wrist and I was jerked to a stop. "I'm sorry."His voice sounded pained, and those two simple words made my tears finally fall. Still, I didn't turn around. "Ten, will you look at me."

He jerked me around to face him, and I slapped him. He obviously wasn't expecting it, and the look on his face was so worth it.

"That," I said, my voice shaking. "Was for calling me a whore the night you left."

Relief flashed across his face, and I collapsed against him, sobbing and fisting his shirt. And he held me close, like he always used to, with one hand buried in my hair and one on my back. I cried so hard my body felt weak, and I savored the feel of his muscular chest and solidness and the way his strong arms supported me.

It seemed slightly sad and pathetically desperate that all he did was say two small words, and I was in his arms again. But that was the thing with Neji. He never had to say much for me to understand what he meant. Neither of us was really at fault here. We had both been hurt and confused and hadn't really known how to react to all this. I didn't care because right now those two small words meant the world to me.

It was a while before I calmed down a bit, and leaned lazily against him. He still smelled like…no wait. He smelled like something else.

"You smell funny," I said, scrunching up my nose and leaning back to look at him.

He let a sigh. "Ino made me put on this cologne shit. She can be pretty intimidating sometimes."

I giggled, but it faded when he slipped the ring on my finger. I pulled back to look at it, just staring and blinking.

"I was going to propose that night," he said softly. "But then I found that damn thing, and I didn't."

"Obviously," I said faintly, still in a bit of a trance. Then, I looked up at his serious face and smiled. "You've got good taste. Are you sure you aren't a girl in disguise or something?"

He smirked and pulled me closer. "I got your friends to help me."

I knew exactly what friends he spoke of. "Those bitches," I fumed. "And they never even bothered to tell me after all this time. I should-"

He cut me off with his lips, not that I minded, and I forgot about the revenge I was plotting. I really loved kissing him. And it must have been pretty evident that I missed it because he smirked against my lips and slowly massaged his tongue against mine, savoring every moment. His fingers traveling along my spine made me shudder, and I pushed myself flat against him.

We parted when I grew dizzy, and he pressed his cheek against the top of my head. And we just stood there, breathing heavily and pressed against eachother. Tears still clung to the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them away. I missed everything about this and to have it back after so long was overwhelming and wonderful.

I never felt so secure in my life, with his arms wrapped around me like that. I glanced at the ring. It was only a ring, just a symbol. What really mattered was what we felt and held between us. If I never married Neji it wouldn't really matter as long as we were together because that's what was really important, right?( Still, it did feel kind of good to have the weight of the ring on my finger.)

And now, every moment from here on out would be about me and Neji. Every moment of my life, I was sure I would spend with him.

**A/N: Cheesy! Cheesy! Cheesy! I feel like nachos right now. I wasn't sure what chapter would be the last, and this one is it so yeah. Lol. I know Tenten can't spend every moment with Neji, but it's just an ending to a damn story, so just bear with me. Well, I guess that's it. Later.**


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